Bhakra Dam, Power Houses Security issue: Punjab Police to remain posted along with CISF in hybrid mode –BBMB
Kanwar Inder singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ July 29,2025
“Punjab Police to remain posted at Ganguwal and Kotla power houses for its security where as the Central Industrial security Force (CISF) is going to take the charge of Bhakra Dam security” said the Chairman of Bhakra Beas Management Board, Manoj Tripathi while clearing the board stand on deployment of security forces.
As per Tripathi, “ BBMB has not taken the decision of deployment of CISF at Bhakra Dam, on its own. The instructions were issued by MHA, IB department in the past. Then the partner states Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh had given the green signal to deploy CISF at all important, crucial dams of national importance in a board meeting in the year 2022. CISF had already been deployed at Beas Satluj Link (BSL) project and as per plan, they had to take the charge of Bhakra Dam from April 1,2025. But, now they will take the reins of Bhakra Dam security in this quarter itself. “
He further added, “the next in the pipeline is the Pong dam. In the next year, CISF will be deployed at Pong dam also, as per the instructions of MHA, IB.’
As per BBMB officials the security has been deployed in hybrid mode like most important Bhakra Pong, BSL projects security will be managed by CISF. Similarly, the lesser important locations, power houses will be guarded by the state police (like Punjab Police) and other lesser locations are going to be managed by private agencies like PESCO to save the expenditure.
Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has paid the part payment of one year advance money to Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and cleared the way for its deployment. BBMB has deposited Rs 8.51 crores to the CISF in lieu of one year agreement for making security of Bhakra Dam and Power Houses. The board has made the payment from its own paving the way to CISF deployment despite Punjab’s objections. The cost of deployment will be borne by the partner states.
Punjab government had vehemently opposed the decision to deploy the outsourced CISF at the Dam adding that the state government will not pay a single penny for deployment of this force.
On July 7, 2025 the Punjab cabinet had withdrawn the consent given by the previous Congress government to deploy the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Bhakra Dam. The consent was given on October 21, 2021, when Charanjit Singh Channi was the Chief Minister of the state.
On July 11,2025, the Punjab assembly had unanimously passed a resolution against the Centre’s decision to deploy personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the Bhakra Dam and other hydro projects managed by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).
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